DFI Retail Group and Becon Announce Strategic Partnership to Launch AI Skin & Scalp Assessment in over 400 Stores Across Asia

Driving Omnichannel Experiences with Trusted Advice and Personalised Recommendations Online and Offline

HONG KONG SAR - Media OutReach Newswire - 30 January 2026 - DFI Retail Group ("DFI") and Becon, a Samsung-backed company, today announced a strategic partnership to launch an AI-powered skin and scalp assessment solution across online and offline channels in Asia. This milestone reinforces DFI's commitment to driving growth in wellness and delivering integrated omnichannel experiences at scale, underpinned by trusted advice and personalised recommendations for customers of its Health & Beauty business.

(Group photo, from left to right) Amanda Tay, Commercial Director of Health & Beauty, DFI Retail Group; Andrew Wong, Chief Executive Officer of Health & Beauty, DFI Retail Group; Minsuk Park, Chief Executive Officer of Becon; Kyungah Kim, Chief Operating Officer of Becon

Accelerating mass roll-out across Asia

The partnership will see the phased deployment of Becon's skin and scalp assessments across more than 400 Guardian and Mannings stores in Hong Kong, Indonesia, Macau, Malaysia, and Singapore. A phased roll-out will also introduce a mobile app lite solution on Guardian and Mannings apps.

The mass roll-out builds on a successful proof-of-concept in 2025, which demonstrated strong customer engagement, achieving significant purchase conversion and basket growth, along with consistently high revisit intention scores exceeding 6.5 out of 7.

Driving integrated wellness experiences across omnichannel

With Becon's solutions, Guardian and Mannings will be able to leverage data-driven insights to provide tailored wellness advice and personalised recommendations, effectively building trust and strengthening loyalty with customers.

Customers will be able to start with quick assessments online, and be guided towards stores for comprehensive, in-depth assessments and consultations with trained wellness professionals. This seamless, integrated experience contributes to driving engagement and traffic between online and offline touchpoints, while empowering customers to make more informed choices as Guardian and Mannings continue to expand their wellness assortment with function- and efficacy-based products.

Delivering micro-precision analysis

Becon's solution combines macro and micro analyses for higher accuracy, backed by collaborative research with medical professionals and a robust database of over 3 million skin and hair profiles. Its specialised scanner uses a high-resolution camera and multiple sensors, including UV-A LED imaging, temperature, humidity, and odour detection, to measure 12 skin and 12 hair parameters respectively in just five minutes:

• Skin: moisture, redness, sebum, acne, porphyrins, pore size, pore density, blemishes, wrinkles, dark circles, skin barrier, skin temperature
• Hair and scalp: hair loss risk, hair volume, hair thickness, follicle density, hairs per follicle, moisture, sebum, dandruff, sensitivity, hair odour

Andrew Wong, Chief Executive Officer of Health & Beauty, DFI Retail Group, said: "This partnership with Becon represents a strategically important step in advancing our wellness strategy and reinforcing our position as the trusted advisor for our customers. By integrating technology with our long-standing professional expertise, we create an omnichannel experience that not only supports customers' diverse wellness needs, but also nurtures lasting engagement and loyalty across our Health & Beauty businesses."

Minsuk Park, CEO of Becon, said: "This partnership with DFI Retail Group allows Becon to bring our advanced assessment technology to more customers across Asia. By combining our innovation capabilities with DFI's strong retail network and omnichannel ecosystem, we can deliver personalised insights at scale and help customers understand their wellbeing with trusted advice."

DFI and Becon will continue to collaborate closely as the solution is introduced progressively across stores and mobile apps starting in 2026. Customers will be able to access these new services in more neighbourhood locations, supported by the phased launch of the mobile app lite experience in selected markets. Together, the two companies remain committed to enhancing wellness experiences built on technology, expertise, and personalisation.
Hashtag: #DFIRetailGroup #Guardian #Mannings #Becon

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About DFI Retail Group

DFI Retail Group (the 'Group') is a leading Asian retailer, driven by its purpose to "Sustainably Serve Asia for Generations with Everyday Moments". At 1 Dec 2025, the Group and its associates operated over 7,400 outlets and employed over 81,000 people. The Group is dedicated to delivering quality, value and service to Asian consumers through a compelling retail experience, supported by an extensive store network and highly efficient supply chains. The Group, including associates, operates a portfolio of well-known brands across five key divisions: health and beauty, convenience, food, home furnishings and restaurants.

Guardian

Guardian was established in 1967 in Malaysia and has grown into a trusted health and beauty retailer in Southeast Asia. With more than 1,200 stores across Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam. Guardian offers a comprehensive range of healthcare, beauty care, personal care, and baby care products to meet the diverse needs of its customers. Guardian stores also offer professional services such as patient-care counselling, dispensary and personal care services, providing a convenient, one-stop health and beauty solution.

Mannings

Mannings is Hong Kong's largest health and beauty retailer, operating over 300 outlets, including more than 60 in-store pharmacies, across Hong Kong and Macau. With a diverse range of products and services, Mannings is committed to integrating the concept of "Wellness" into our daily lives while pioneering a new era of health. By offering innovative health technologies, AI solutions, preventive healthcare, self-managed health tools, and digital wellness and beauty solutions, Mannings empowers individuals and families to prioritize their well-being. Mannings also provides complementary professional services, including Safe Disposal of Unused Medicines program, Advice for Minor Ailments, as well as medication and usage consultations, safeguarding the community's health and beauty.

About Becon

Becon is a Korean beauty technology company specialising in AI-driven scalp and skin analysis, combining proprietary imaging hardware, intelligent software, and data-driven recommendation systems to enable personalised care. Recognised by Samsung through its C-Lab Program and strategic investment, Becon has also received global and national honours including the CES 2023 Innovation Award, designation as a representative K-Beauty technology at the 2025 APEC Summit, a Tier-2 national technology evaluation, and the Minister of Science and ICT Award. Through continuous innovation and global partnerships, Becon aims to redefine how scalp and skin health are analysed and managed worldwide.

News Source: DFI Retail Group